Chapter 17: Steps over the Imperial Pass
"I was just about ready to send a unit to find you, it is good you have all returned." Said Alduin as she greeted the four returning heroes that had come from their mission to end the nightmares Dawnstar suffered from for so long.
"The exception being the priest, I'm surprised that Vaermina was able to kill a man like that without any true connection to Nirn." She said, the latter part of that meaning nearly flew over the heads of the four tired troopers in front of her.
"Regardless, you have earned rest. There will be it when we cross the border into Cyrodil. The Emperor wishes to meet me and Ruigus." She stated.
"We're all going?" Hadvar asked.
"Yes, everyone in our troop. Even if you are part of the local forces you are meant to come with the homecoming soldiers." Said Alduin.
"Ah, that's….nice." Hadvar said as he mulled over that.
Among them, Marcus seemed to be the least happy.
"I myself am not sure if I can reasonably give you a chance to stay come up rejoining us when we return but I do not have the time otherwise." Alduin stated.
"I think we'll go with you Commander." Said Hadvar suddenly. The others gave looks of approval.
"I hate leaving but I do want to see Cyrodil at least once." Said Aethan trying to make light out of it.
Alduin nodded at his words.
"I do want to see it myself." She said simply and honestly to herself.
"It's all different, especially the Imperial City." Said Hadvar, eyes wide in wonder.
"You've been there?" She asked.
Hadvar shook his head. "No, including Cyrodil I haven't had the real gold or time to." He said.
"I see." She said, somewhat disappointed.
"You're not going to ask Ruigus?" Asked Hans.
Alduin's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"I am most curious, I thought I'd hear it from those who can tell me most immediately." She said.
"Hmm. I've been only in Bruma back in the war, then in Hammerfell." He said.
Alduin nodded her head, none too familiar with Bruma itself.
"I may ask you about the war sometime, if I feel curious." Said Alduin suddenly.
"Aye, if the mood makes me able to." He replied.
"I will keep that in mind. Anyways, all of you will get your rest on the journey, I am not alone in congratulating you on that task but now we must depart, I have to meet with Ruigus and begin to move out." She said.
"Erm, I just had a question I remembered." Said Hadvar.
"What it is it?" Alduin then asked.
"I just want to check up on my village, er Riverwood. It should be on the way home, it's south of Whiterun." Hadvar stated.
Alduin's expression softened.
"Just tell us when and keep up." She said.
"Thank you. That's it from me." Said Hadvar, bowing at a slight.
The other three stayed silent and seemed to have nothing to say.
"Perfect, dismissed." She ordered.
The men left, and she stood up.
As it was, her force should be gathering up all that they needed although it was estimated it would take them at least three and a half hours, she found it speedy given the circumstance.
There were some voiced concerns she heard through outright complaints or whispers of worriment on how they would be leaving a rather large city that was just conquered two days ago in such a state as it was.
The complaints were needless, Tullius's hastily negotiated terms were enough to ensure some form of what Kober said was a safety net with the Imperials and Stormcloaks setting up a half-attempt at a mutual defense.
The concept was alien, and the idea of it was radical to her, if not rightfully desperate.
She wondered who she would have a moment to ask first, even if the answer was ultimately futile in this, Ruigus or Tullius himself had better grasps at it.
Thinking of what to do next she decided that she would take a simple walk outside.
She halted herself for a moment as she thought on how they would make their way to the border, she then realized they could just simply take the route through Whiterun following the road from Riverwood and up through Helgen of all places.
It was an ironic and hard thing to think about for her, it had been the victim of her now believed childish rage when she had realized of her past failures but it was also it had led to where she was now, with someone she was attached to more so than anyone else in what such small time. Perhaps it was the urging of her mother in the only conversation in an eternity what brought him in particular so quickly.
She had looked downwards for a moment, then straightened herself with a small blush.
Yet, thinking to herself once more she knew this was her 'second chance' at it all, in this one world that she had both allowed and was bound to let exist.
However, she'd need to think about the new land she was heading to in the south, Cyrodil. What was the center of the world, as she knew it.
She felt more excited about it than worried about anything with the rise of the undead in her old grounds.
Deciding to end her wishful meditations she decided she would gather what she needed and head outside, not quite intending to head back into the room that she and Ruigus had used.
The sun was bright as she stepped out, to a normal mortal it would have been blinding, she was not so similar to most of them.
It seemed already an event had blessed her as she saw some six Imperial soldiers escorting a nordic man with an Imperial Legion tunic with his hands bound.
"What's his crime?" Alduin approached.
The leader snorted.
"He was caught looting houses in what is now Imperial territory, happened during the night invasion. We're just hauling him to the jail for now." The soldier said.
"Screw you! Who cares about the filthy eastern traitors when they picked their side! We can make them regr-"
"Remain silent unless you're asking to be gagged, prisoner." Said the Sentinel, he bore some restrained frustration.
"I see. I did not intend to inconvenience you." She said.
"It's nothing, I heard your unit's being summoned back to Cyrodil, right now it's the only thing I could wish for with all this crap, don't die on the way back yeah?" He said before motioning his group forwards and exiting the street.
"I suppose I should be taking off to that land now anyways, I should check with Ruigus first." She thought to herself.
She found him only a block away tending to his magic gifted horse, Alduin was silently pleased of her good senses.
"Ready to go home?" She asked, a hint playfulness in tone.
"It'll take too long." Ruigus said ambivalently.
"Oh come now, us on a road with a thousand men won't be that much of an arduous journey." She teased.
"To take a stroll all the way from here down to the center of the world, I'm sure there will be people left alive in Skyrim by the time we even reach the gates of the capital." He turned and said with a sarcastic tone.
"Do you not trust Tullius?" Alduin asked. Ruigus stopped himself for a few moments as he thought, a realization had dawned on him.
"I do…...I do, it's just that I wish we were aiding him in this now! I still do not like having to leave him to this by himself!" He said.
Alduin's expression was thoughtful.
"Ruigus, you have known Tullius for a long time, I know that. And what I know from him is that he is a very competent man that uses a terrible situation to his advantage. I believe there is more to him but that treaty he made proves that point." Alduin then put her hand on Ruigus's shoulder giving a gentle squeeze.
"Believe in him and in those that are with him here. We'll come back, do not worry yourself over it so much, I think that if I were you I would be so worried but listen to me, I am here with you aren't I?" She grinned. Ruigus's down demeanor brightened just barely.
"Yeah, I know, thanks Alduin." He said quietly as his eyes shifted from her and about the area.
"Feels weird saying that out in the open." He added, grinning slightly.
"Oh? You would have left yourself up to some very shameless teasing if I were feeling a bit more inclined to it." Alduin replied, happy that the subject was being changed to something lighter.
"That'd be the end of me." He giggled before finishing his task. And then a glint of realization hit his eyes.
"I think with what you said and what I know about Tullius is that he can do this." Stated Ruigus.
"Hm?" Alduin sounded out, not displeased with his shift.
"Back in the gre- the war Alduin he saved Colovia and even the Empire from the Dominion, if he survived that he should be able to do the same! When we come back from Cyrodil no matter how long it takes I will do every bit of effort I can into this war! That I shall do!" Ruigus exclaimed in all earnestness with confidence.
Alduin would have found a display of such hope usually laughable, it was different with this man named Ruigus.
She then smiled.
"I would like to know more of your homeland and all that went on during the war when we arrive there, it's a bit of shame we are 'forced' to go to the Imperial City first but perhaps a step at a time is good." She said.
"I don't think either of us are good at doing it one step at a time." Ruigus replied.
"Perhaps, you may just be the better at it." Alduin giggled.
Ruigus laughed.
"Ah, nah I do not think so. I've rushed through so much around here I got a lot to keep in mind as I move forwards." He said as he breathed in.
"I think it's time we start home as soon as we can, I want to talk to the Blades before we're out of here entirely although im sure we can meet in Cyrodil if we have to." Ruigus then said once more.
"Wouldn't Riverwood work?" Alduin asked.
"Oh, yeah if we're going through there, it's funny that, that's where I met that Delphine originally, almost full circle." He said, laughing. Alduin's attention was focused on something else.
Alduin bit her lip before speaking.
"But after that we'll be going through Helgen, is that okay with you?" She asked.
Ruigus's expression shifted a little before returning to his usual young cheeriness.
"Let us pay our respects to the dead when we get there, that's all I want I guess." He said, a neutral tone.
"I shall." Said Alduin nodding her head in a bow.
Ruigus grew a small smile upon his face.
"But err...are we going to leave now?" He then asked.
"Well, I was waiting on a certain someone who was so busy attending to their divine-gifted horse that they forgot to bother to tell someone first." Alduin grinned.
"You were sleeping." He said
"Means nothing." She smiled.
"Yet, I'm rather lucky I can sense you." She then remarked. Ruigus's eyes widened a little.
"Uh, I guess I'll just say I'm ready to go." He said warily, nervously grinning.
"It seems my powers remain a secret." Said Alduin, telling a half-joke.
"I'd rather you tell it to the Blades." Laughed Ruigus.
"I'll see if I can't get Malborn to get some word out to them either meet me in Riverwood or in Cyrodil, might be harder for the latter." Ruigus thought on the offhand.
"Tch, come." She said, gesturing in her direction to walk.
"I do not know how they'd react to your reveal, well anyone else really." Said Ruigus.
"I've not yet thought of that either, Ruigus do you suppose I could brute force my way into acceptance?" Asked Alduin.
"Heh, I don't think that'll go well. But I do want us to bide time." He said, as the two whispered to each other as they walked.
"We're going to the troops?" Ruigus questioned.
"Of course! They should be assembled by now." Stated Alduin.
"We're just going to the square in front of that massive church. Rikke's said to me that it's where you typically gather up armies in towns or cities if there isnt a dedicated district. So we'll see the Captains." She added.
"Sounds good, I remember Tullius and some other commanders saying something about that a long time ago." He replied.
"A long time ago? Before you came here?" Alduin asked as they walked through a street, people generally smiled at them as they passed them by, if not they were begrudgingly ignored.
"Yeah, from when I was Tullius's page which I guess I really was through my life now that I think about it. I learned most of what I do now from him, what I remember anyways. The two years before I came here weren't good for it, me or him or I guess the whole Empire now." He mused, a feeling of regret came over him.
"Do you think it wa-" Alduin was interrupted as Cario ran towards them.
"My Tribune! We're ready!" He exclaimed.
"Perfect Captain, I'll leave the announcement to you that we are going to leave now." Alduin stated to the breton.
"I'm honored!" Cario was beaming over a simple duty.
"Very well then, let's make it concise as we can, there is a long journey, we'll make stops by the darkening of the night. I'll discuss the defense plans as we march Cario." Alduin replied.
"We best be quick enough to go settlement by settlement!" He replied, then saluted and headed to the front of the column.
"Ruigus, we will visit your home and see how wonderful it is. I imagine it would be." She smiled and squeezed Ruigus's shoulder with her hand. He smiled and placed his hand on that of hers on his shoulder.
"I cannot say it is, but…there are some wonderful things that exist, I just believe that my home is still recovering." He said sadly.
"Yet from an outsider's perspective it very may be still wonderful in it's entirety." She replied.
"The scars are evident, don't you think that is the same here for you?" Ruigus questioned in an innocent manner.
"It very much is painful, yet do you not think it is magnificent to have bared witness to glimpses of it?" She responded.
"I do, I shall say again and again I still wonder about it all. But I do not know if it is the end necessary to." Ruigus responded.
"Necessary?" Alduin asked.
"If it matters now, to be honest Alduin, I just cannot tell." He said quietly.
"Ironically time will grant you that answer my Ruigus. Let us go to that city that is the center of this whole land and then your home for how long we can be there." She said happily.
Ruigus could have sworn she nearly went into a dance as she began to walk to her horse.
He smiled, and went to go get his.
All that was left to do in Skyrim was to visit the Blades in some manner, and pay his respects to any dead or suffering along the way home.
Two days passed after they had left Dawnstar, the nights they had experienced were restless, their last night, one that they had rested by a small fort-town of 'Whitewatch' just to the north of Whiterun itself they had patrols see and hear abnormal sounds and movements in the night, Ruigus himself had set out at one point to encounter the strange creatures in the night, he and a group of horsemen only found a lone skeleton that they quickly sent back to earth it belonged to.
It was no doubt that after their intial failure, whoever or rather the groups that had plotted their attacks across the entire country of Skyrim during that fateful moon were preparing for yet another attack, if they already had not done yet another strike. It was a fear spreading through the hearts and minds of many.
All that was left for their current day was to reach Riverwood.
Alduin caught Ruigus staring forlornly at Whiterun where no doubt Tullius still held himself in if he had not already gone back to Solitude.
"Ruigus." She called out.
He turned himself to face her, and nodded with a smile.
"I'm not gonna worry about it." He said
The two rode side by side silently afterwards until they reached Riverwood.
Upon strolling into the town it, like several others had no noticeable difference aside from hastily made defenses fully manned by guards who quickly saluted them.
It seems that their fighting had only been tailing a large force that attempted to take, or rather to burn Whiterun.
It was a rather happy affair to have Imperial forces in the town for the night, the mayor and captain were supportive and so were the people in what was already a largely Pro-Imperial settlement, yet that did not fully factor in.
Hadvar stood outside his Uncle's house as he thought about what he would say before he would go south and leave Skyrim.
He knocked on the door gently, the smell of his Uncle's forge lingered as he waited for a response.
He waited for a minute, feeling a bit anxious and then the door opened to reveal a short blonde haired and adorable young girl that was Hadvar's niece, Dorthe who looked up at him with her eyes wide.
"U-Uncle Hadvar!" She exclaimed and quickly hugged him around his waist.
"She seems so much taller now." Hadvar thought as he placed his arms around her.
"You don't know how happy I am to see you Dorthe." He smiled.
"You were gone for so long." She cried.
"It wasnt too long." Hadvar responded with a light hearted laugh.
"Where's Uncle and Aunt?" He asked.
"Oh, they're inside." Dorthe replied simply as she loosened her grip and ran back inside.
"Mom! Dad!" She yelled as Hadvar stepped in slowly.
The house hadn't changed much on the inside.
He took a seat on that table he and Ruigus had taken on what was quite a time ago.
Hadvar supposed it had been too long. He frowned for a second then Dorthe ran back up from the basement floor with a beaming Alvor and Sigrid.
"Uncle!" Hadvar exclaimed as Alvor came and brought him into a hug.
"Hadvar, still kicking aren't you!" Alvor laughed.
"Somehow." Hadvar replied with a small smile as his uncle stopped crushing him in his hug.
He then stepped over to Sigrid who hugged him.
"We missed you." She said softly.
"I know." Replied Hadvar and he let go of her.
"I can only spare a few minutes but I didn't want to miss out on seeing you all before I get going with my move order so..."
"Aww! You're leaving already Uncle!?" Dorthe pouted. Sigrid looked understanding, Alvor straightened himself.
"I can stay for a few minutes, Dorthe." Said Hadvar, replying with a smile.
"It's good to see you're all alright." He then said.
"Aye, we almost weren't." Replied Alvor.
"I heard, I was so scared." Said Hadvar looking downwards.
"It's not a Nord's place to be scared for one another." Alvor replied, laughing as he filled up a drink.
"Uncle." Pestered Hadvar.
"Heh, it's one's place to survive boy." He said, handing Hadvar some ale, it smelled nice to the soldier.
"I don't think I am all that worried about myself Uncle, I'll still be wary I promise but..." Hadvar paused, thinking for a moment.
"It's still that what is going to happen here on out. There's…..Dead rising up from the graves and I'm not feeling the most hopeful, after this I wonder what will happen next, Dragons decide to make Skyrim bright as the sun next? The Imperials get attacked by the Dominion?" He questioned aloud to the family calmly.
"That's over the heads all of us Hadvar, we do what we must, and that is not something limited to only us." Alvor replied.
"Hadvar, think of it this way, there's others that have the same fears as you. You're not alone, I'm worried about us too." Said Sigrid.
"Don't be worried about us boy, we'll be fine." Alvor said with a wink.
"For now keep your spirits with you, there'll be people and fools that you will make pleased with that attitude of yours. Inspiration Hadvar, don't forget it!"
"I will Uncle, Aunt." Said Hadvar with a sigh.
Alvor stood up.
"Now my boy, you have an army to follow. I don't know where, and I don't care where. But finish your drink and get moving before I throw you into my forge!" Suddenly Alvor seemed so much larger to Hadvar all of a sudden.
Getting up out of his seat Hadvar quickly uttered with a smile "Take care Aunt, Dorthe, Uncle." And began to walk out the door with Alvor pretending to give chase.
"Goodbye Hadvar! Don't forget to write a letter, visit again and stay when you slay a hundred vampires!" Alvor yelled as Hadvar quickly headed towards the horse he had rode on.
"I will!" Hadvar yelled back.
His Uncle had always been the one to push him back to his best whenever he came to his lowest, he pulled antics when such things happened when he was younger, now as he grew older Hadvar now grew to understand the simple-extraordinary craziness of his blacksmithing uncle.
Just down the street Ruigus and Alduin walked inside the Sleeping Giant Inn, the day after they had left Dawnstar they had received a hastily written note that told them that the Blades would try to reach Delphine in time and told them to meet at the inn at a specific time, if none of the blades were there there was a mention of attempting to gain contact in Cyrodil.
The inn was half-filled, there were more people in here than Ruigus would have thought there would have been.
The two stood lost in looking for someone, Ruigus only quite recognized some townspeople and the owner, he couldn't remember his name but he approached him.
The owner, a simple nord with black hair and a rugged face.
"Hello Dragonborn!" He greeted.
"Hey! It's been too long." Ruigus replied.
"It has, war take you?" He asked.
"Yeah, two wars now I guess." Ruigus replied.
"Ha! Ya looking for Delphine? She's in the basement, just walk down but good to see you again." The nord said.
"Thanks, I-I forgot your name." Said Ruigus as he and Alduin stood awkwardly.
"Orgnar friend, let me know if any of you need anything." He said.
"Thank you." Said Ruigus.
The two headed past the bar and into the stairs leading into the basement.
Ruigus opened the door and allowed Alduin in first, there were three people in leather armor in the room.
Delphine, Charles, and Esbern were waiting.
"Hey Ruigus! It has been a while!" Charles greeted cheerfully as he leaned against a wall.
"It has, I apologize I have not seen you all in person lately." Said Ruigus as he bowed.
"Wars tend to take up time, ours has been doing the same as with yours." Stated Delphine as she sat on a chair.
"Ah Forsworn?" Assumed Ruigus.
"It'll take a couple years for even us to wipe them out safely but no, we encountered Thalmor just a week ago just outside a Dwemer ruin we wanted to check, we pulled out with only wounded." Delphine stated.
"The Thalmor again?" Ruigus thought, they had been so mysteriously quiet after their failed attempt on his life.
"On that note of threats, we're growing some concerns of dragons but…." Delphine's eyes met that of Alduin, whom she had no idea of her true identity.
"We must speak with Ruigus in private." Delphine stated, her steely eyes unwavering to that of Alduin's, who sensed that suspicion of intent from her, Delphine certainly had little to no idea of who she truly was.
Alduin shared a glance with Ruigus who gave her a quick nod and a small, concerned smile.
"That's fine Delphine." He responded.
"I shall be going, I will be outside." Said Alduin.
Delphine nodded her head respectfully.
"Thank you. Now we must speak, Ruigus." She said as Alduin turned and left through the door quietly.
"Sure, what is it?" The young dragonborn asked.
"We are finding it strange that there has been no dragon activity in a while, we know that there is a large concentration of them in the Velothi mountains." She said.
"It's no surprise that, everybody knows that they're there." Ruigus thought to himself.
"But the point is that with these undead attacks we think that they're going to make their move when this ends, if Alduin is that intelligent and it seems to be the way that it is." Stated the Blades Commander.
"I do not think the World Eater and the race of dragons are as much of a….aggressive threat as it stands even with the prophecy, I believe it is the undead Delphine." Ruigus interjected.
"I do not disagree, keep the threat in mind but there is something interesting. We are seeing the end of the Thalmor's Justiciar's actions here in Skyrim and that is the capture of artifacts and quick raids into ruins before scurrying home."
"Furthermore, our last agent in the Dominion is reporting that they're building up their army again and constructing a new fleet. And this is to exceed their material and manpower than what they had at the start of the last war. This could be a power play that they are making for some unknown reason but they are taking some very experienced and powerful sects of Justiciars for something, there is only so much our agent can do, much less report their military." Said Delphine.
"Do you think they're going to attack Empire!?" Ruigus questioned.
"From what I gather they're not going to, it's peculiar, even for the Dominion." Said Delphine.
"And Ruigus, on the Undead, our Agents in east Skyrim are reporting that a discussion was just held in a major meeting in the rift about the reforming of an old organization known as the 'Dawnguard', they're vampire hunters." She informed.
"I see, I wonder what the Emperor is gonna say to me about them if he has anything planned for the undead when it comes to this subject if at all he will, Delphine I want to know what you think of me going to talk with the Emperor." Said Ruigus as he brought up the attention of the meeting to her.
"It depends on you Ruigus, do you want to aim for power now?" She asked outright. Charles and Esbern straightened themselves.
"No, I've not thought on it but I do not want to despite what we wish to aim for. I want to put an end to these Vampires, Zombies, whatever they are here before anything else can happen." Said Ruigus.
Charles gave a look of approval, Delphine nodded.
"That is good Ruigus, however we want you to be careful regardless when you are to meet with him, we'll sneak a couple to be around when you need them, you will see them when you need them." She stated.
"I've been reliant on Malborn and luck when it comes to finding any of you. To be honest it's always been a bit….weird when I actually meet some of you out in the field." He said with a small chuckle.
"We're spread thin, we need people on protection and on important tasks when they're around you. I'll dedicate a squad of four to you for your protection in Cyrodil, but otherwise I'll be having them keep track of any Thalmor Justiciar attempting to continue their work." Stated Delphine.
"That's fine! I merely find it a bit funny, but anyways I don't know how long I'll be there and I pray everyone's going to be safe here too. Actually, I only have one thing to ask of you." Stated Ruigus.
"Go ahead."
"Well, I'm not sure if he quite needs it but make sure General Tullius doesn't….die." Requested the Dragonborn.
Delphine blinked for a moment then showed a hint of a smile.
"Of course. I'll see what we can do Ruigus." She replied.
"Thank you, thank you all." Bowed Ruigus.
"It's our duty!" Said Charles happily, placing a fist on his chest.
Esbern smiled at Ruigus.
"And it has been for a long time, but it's been too long since we had any hope of one such as you." The old man said softly.
"I see, I must confess to you all that I believe I have been…..unsuitable you could say as a dragonborn and perhaps future emperor yet I wish to do the best I can by you all and the Empire." Said Ruigus, bowing.
"We're doing our part in fixing ourselves too, not too long ago we were mercenaries without purpose, we got you now." Said Charles with a wink.
Delphine turned around and looked at Charles with an unreadable expression to Ruigus, Esbern seemed slightly nervous.
"You're too proud to admit Delphine, but everyone that you've picked up since that day the others died haven't had that same purpose, and even then, you and I don't have what possessed the Blades to die with Uriel." Charles thought to himself.
"We'll discuss it later Charles. Ruigus, we must conclude this meeting as time is short for you and for us. I cannot come to Cyrodil, but I shall keep in contact with you as we talked about." Stated Delphine.
"I can't express my gratitude!" Replied Ruigus.
Delphine showed a hint of a smile.
"Well, I'll get going. It was nice to see you're all alive. I'll need you." Said Ruigus as he quickly stood up, smiled at them and left through the door.
"Didn't even get a chance to shake his hand." Said Charles.
The Dragonborn thought to himself happily as he walked up the steps, yet held lingering thoughts on what Charles had mentioned about being 'mercenaries'.
It wasnt the first time he had ever heard talk of the Blades being that, to hear it from one of them themselves was definite proof but time had caused that conclusion to be the reality he supposed.
He knew Delphine did not like anyone saying that out loud, from the small time he knew her he sensed that.
He saw Alduin merely laying up against a wall with her eyes closed as though she were meditating.
"I'm done plotting!" Beamed Ruigus causing Alduin to open her eyes with a bemused smile.
"My demise I suspect." She replied.
"Eh, could be." Ruigus laughed, then looked around.
"I'll tell you about it when we get out of here." He then said.
"Surely!" She replied with a light punch, it hurt more than it should have to the young warrior.
With a look akin to a hurt puppy that Ruigus gave his expression turned to normal as he faced the owner, Orngar.
"Thanks, it was nice to see Delphine and you again." Ruigus said to him.
"You're welcome anytime hero." The big Nord said with a cheerful laugh before turning to bar duties.
"I'm still not too sure about being one myself." Ruigus whispered to himself quietly.
"Though I shall not beat my own self with a lack of self faith." Ruigus thought with an inward sigh.
"He is not wrong you know?" Alduin had heard his whispers indeed.
"I can't deny it." He replied sheepishly.
He held the door outwards and he began to speak once more.
"It was just a report really, I guess Delphine doesn't like about what you did to Lydia that one time." Ruigus said with a giggle.
"Oh!" Alduin exclaimed.
"Well I guess she has good reason anyways. But we talked about something with the Dominion and the Emperor. The Dominion is strengthing their army which I guess is to be expected as we're doing the same but I'm under the impression they got something planned. And Delphine asked me what I wanted to do about him." Ruigus explained.
"What do you wish on him now?" She asked softly.
"I don't want to go against him. At least, until there is reason otherwise which will have to be him trying to kill us. I am loyal but it's strange when you meet the person that leads the entirety of your nation you know? It's why it just feels strange sometimes around Tullius too when he used to be the leader of my homeland." Ruigus stated.
"I understand Ruigus. I cannot say I have felt that strangeness just yet when I myself was and still am one. I do have two questions to ask you that you may ask your own soul; what is your loyalty to that Titus made out of?" She asked as they walked the quiet streets.
Ruigus paused movement.
"Respect, and…..honor." He stated, his expression seemed so intensely serious to her.
"My father and Tullius and so many of my people served him and died for him and our homes in the first war, when there was no hope he didn't give up and he got us to a point where we could make favorable peace, though I believe and I hear from others it wasn't favorable enough I think it was his best chance, all he could do to protect us. I don't see that oath we made as something that should be broken either, despite how fragile it may be in comparison with the Nords." Stated Ruigus.
"Hmm, you are perfect in that belief." She said, a hint of a smile.
"Perfect?" He asked.
"I doubt few others could be that passionate when speaking of that." She replied.
He was silent.
"I do want to ask you the other question." She then said. She motioned to mount their horses.
"What's that?" He asked.
"You keep mentioning Tullius being your leader once, was your land conquered and Tullius became a general or was it something else? I'm growing more curious of your homeland." She said.
"Yeah he was for a bit the war ended. In Colovia our leaders are called 'Warlords' usually due to the obvious reasons that name implies, he had not even intended to be one in the first place until the last one…..passed." Said Ruigus, his tone sad as he finished.
"The last one?" Alduin asked.
"The Great Warlord. He was a man that everyone in the homeland worshipped, and everyone else, either in the other parts of Cyrodil or outwards held fear towards. I was not born when he was alive though there are so many in Colovia that speak of him as though they had fought with him the day before. I kinda wish I was there with him too, at least my family did, father and grandfather and just about everyone else that could fight rose and went with him. I think the saying was that there was a massive role for someone to take over much like how it is when someone like you or the Emperor is gone." Ruigus explained as they trotted.
"Your family were close to this warlord?" Alduin asked, curious.
Ruigus was silent for a few moments then nodded.
"Yeah, yeah I guess, my family used to be pretty involved in Kvatch now it's just me and my mother and a few relatives and the reminders of those who perished." Ruigus finished grimly with an innocent yet sad laugh.
"I'm sorry." She said.
"What?" Ruigus blinked.
"That sounds…..sad." Alduin stated, her expression showed some remorse, a look he had not seen in a long time.
"It's not. Everyone takes care of the other back at home, I was only ever lonely by choice." He replied.
"Before I left I had isolated myself now that I think about it, wasn't good for me before I came here." He said with a sigh.
"You'll see it Alduin, it's not that different from some parts of Skyrim I say as I compare it, but I think both have their own beauty." He added.
"You think your land is better!" She accused jokingly.
"Maybe." He grinned.
"All of it is if you ask me, Colovia, Nibenay, the Heartlands, and the Imperial City though crowds bother me." He said.
"We shall both enjoy the later then, how crowded do you say it is?" Alduin asked as birds sang.
"It teems Alduin, imagine if you had about….a million and maybe a half people in an island that is completely occupied by civilization with almost not a single piece of it not behind a giant wall." Said the dragonborn as he mulled over it.
"That many!? It sounds wondrous despite that." She replied.
"It is Alduin." Ruigus affirmed with a smile.
"I will say it's history interests me, when I arrived, I was surprised to hear Odahviing tell me of how those Elves to the south were overthrown and eradicated, but their legacy remained in that city." Alduin stated.
"I didn't realize you were in Tamriel while they were….in Cyrodil." Ruigus said, his eyes wide in curiosity.
"I suppose it is something that can be considered interesting itself." Alduin laughed.
"I regret much, better or worse as you may see it Ruigus but I had wanted to aim for Cyrodil itself after sometime. However, I took too long to act; to make my own move." Said Alduin.
"Too long?" He questioned.
Alduin felt a tinge of pain.
"Among other things I believe I may have done wrong, even I do not know why, I…..wish to move on from that." She replied softly.
She opened her mouth to say something but her mind blanked for a moment, then decided against it.
"I understand Alduin." Ruigus said, smiling.
Alduin nodded her head and shared a smile.
"Thank you." She said.
"I know one day you will. You're not that far at all." She thought to herself.
"We'll reach Helgen soon at our rate, we'll spend the night there before we cross." Alduin said suddenly.
"I'll take it as a race to beat them there!" Ruigus said.
"Not that it's a good place to race to." He then corrected.
"You still want to do that?" Alduin asked.
"Yes, to those who perished through chaos." He said.
"I know that at times there is no way to avoid suffering of innocents but…." Ruigus looked down at his horses mane with his teeth gritted and fists tightly clenched.
Alduin felt her heart thump.
"I am not going to let anymore of it while happen while I can still stop it." He stated.
"But, Alduin I am not going to hold a grudge of I holding it against you as we go on, though I think I am a hypocrite for saying this but I believe in that." Ruigus finished.
Again there was only the sound of their horses steps.
"I want to speed up." He said.
"Of course." She replied, tersely but not without softness.
The two rode off for the town that they had first ever so eventfully met each other in.
Time had worn off on the burnt town of Helgen.
To anyone that merely took a walk through the street they would see that it had been turned into a 'memorial town', few inhabitants remained that had not been scared away from it since what was considered the first dragon attack had occurred.
There was a graveyard made in the front of the town that was made especially for the dead, ninety-eight Imperial soldiers that had died with half having been killed by the dragon that was Alduin, and the other half by Stormcloak soldiers as it was claimed. Fifty Stormcloaks had died, all due to Imperials. And ten dead civilians.
The only real life Helgen saw since was moving travelers and Imperial forces, it stood at a very important spot in Skyrim but very few wanted to live there anymore out of fear, superstition, and sadness, it was all amplified by the new crisis.
On this day, it would be blessed with the one who brought its downfall and the dragonborn that had seen death for the first time so long ago. With Imperial legionnaires they would see another peculiar group of people coming from Cyrodil.
"Say, Ruigus you were here when the dragons first struck right?" Asked Cario Idwal as he walked with Ruigus and Alduin through the streets.
"I wish I wasnt but there's no changing what transpired and what it has led to since." Said Ruigus.
"And it was just one." Ruigus added.
"Amazing." Cario said quietly.
"I've heard they're all capable of killing thousands in a mere hour." He added, his voice louder.
"I er, have yet to see one do that much destruction." Said Ruigus, his mind contemplating that rumor.
"Thousands of years without action can make one soft I imagine." The breton laughed.
Ruigus fought back his own laughter and Alduin stayed silently glaring.
"Still, I'd hate to go against one in any spot." Cario remarked.
"You've no idea how terrifying they can be in a fight." Ruigus replied.
"And that is why I do not intend to find out, but if I do and I know I will, I too will fight fiercer than any monster." The breton replied with a cocky smile.
The three saw the other breton in their unit, Captain D'lliers running up to them.
"We just spotted a large caravan from the south approaching! Cyrodilians!" He exclaimed.
"I dare to call civilians suicidal for approaching into Skyrim at a time like this." Said Alduin.
"That makes us all one and the same!" Cario exclaimed pointedly.
Ruigus chuckled.
"Well, I know I've talked to some people that have come from it but I haven't quite seen anyone that's been….living there I guess you could say it since I began my time over here. I'd like to talk to them." He said.
"You'll get your chance, here comes on of them sir!" Replied D'lliers.
A man dressed in modes fur clothing approached.
Ruigus could tell from both the rather outstanding fur cap he wore and by his own face that he was from Bruma, not like his coat gave that away in the first place.
"Hello soldiers!" The man said with a thick Bruman accent.
Alduin was a bit surprised by how the man seemed to have trouble speaking Tamrielic, more so than Nords could sound at times.
"Ah hello, from Bruma yeah?" Ruigus greeted.
The man nodded.
"Da, yes!" He said.
"Good, I'm from Kvatch. What brings you and all those people here?" Ruigus asked politely.
"Riverwood and Estates make agreement that Helgen should be er resettled!" He said.
"We're here for that despite er….undead?" He questioned.
"Da, Undead." Ruigus replied.
"We come on good timing." The Bruman laughed.
"Er is okay if we stay here?" He then asked.
"Of course! No problems right Alavia?" Ruigus turned to Alduin.
"None, none at all." She replied simply.
"Wunderful!" The man mispronounced.
"Thank you, thank you!" He exclamied whilst bowing.
The four before the Bruman felt honored by how gracious he was over a small thing to them.
"Setup where you need to." Said Alduin.
"Yes will do that. But I must return to convoy to tell your words friends." He replied beaming.
"I'll go with you." Said Ruigus.
"Sure, good to have you." He said happily.
"I'll see you all in a few minutes, I want to talk with them." Ruigus stated.
"If you try to escape us we will hunt you down." Said Alduin teasingly in a joking manner.
"Hey I'll just be trying to get there in advance." Ruigus joked before waving goodbye to them and paced up to the Bruman man.
"I could have translated for you now that I think about it." Ruigus said, in Colovian.
"That's fine brother, I should brush up on it soon, I actually am not the speaker for the group." The man laughed as he spoke in colovian.
"Oh who?" Ruigus asked.
"Snotty Estate man, does not like talking." The Bruman man informed.
"Family name?" Ruigus asked.
The Bruman snorted almost laughing once more.
"von Gregoriy." The Bruman informed.
"He can't be too bad." Ruigus replied.
"No, he just think he is an elf." He sighed.
"I'll see him myself, but that's a sentiment a lot of people will hold about him and the rest." Said Ruigus, not fully believing that line of thought.
"Yeah, but they're our brothers in the west just like how the rest of you are down in the south." The Bruman said.
"Heh you're not that isolated." Ruigus said humorously.
"You wish Southerner." The man laughed.
It is to be noted that Brumans are considered the friendliest out of all the Colovians, and they're association with them was a bit of a question in of it's own self.
The two's talking quickly led them to the Caravan. Ruigus noticed the carriage where the Estate Noble would have obviously been in.
"Talk to him in there if you want anything my good friend." The Bruman man said with a smile and a wave.
Ruigus walked past some civilians who smiled and waved at him or regarded him carefully as they could discern his identity in any sort as Ruigus was still dressed as an Imperial soldier.
Colovian Estate guards stood throughout the convoy and were around the carriage. Their mailed face helms refused to show their faces.
"Hello Imperial, do you need to talk to the Lord?" One motioned and questioned in Colovian.
"Yeah, just to ask a few questions, nothing important other than that there's going to be no issue with all of you." Ruigus stated calmly in Colovian.
The fact that they spoke the same language changed the mood of the guard.
"You're good to speak with him comrade." The guard replied, more friendly than before.
"Thank you." Ruigus replied and bowed slightly.
The guard quickly knocked on the carriage.
"What, what!?" A male voice was heard from it as he opened a flap that was his window to look at the guard and Ruigus.
"What do you need Imperial?" The Estate man asked suspiciously, and in Tamerielic.
Mister Gregoriy was a bearded fellow in his late thirties, despite what he rode on he was modestly dressed and reserved.
"I just came to let you know we'll be staying with you in Helgen for the night and we'll help protect your people for the duration of it before we move out." Ruigus replied in Colovian.
"Good then, I would have come at all of you with my sword if you betrayed your duty to us." The man said, half amused and half annoyed.
"I would not blame you, if you have a moment I have a couple questions, it will not take much of your time at all sir." Ruigus asked.
The man was silent for moment.
"Who are you?" He asked.
"Ruigus, Ruigus Kessel, do you need my tru-"
"By Shor get in! Why didnt you say who you were in the first place?" The man questioned as he opened the door for Ruigus.
Ruigus could hear the guard chuckling muffled behind his mail mask as he climbed on in.
"I have my own questions for you first before I get to yours!" Exclaimed Mr. Gregoriy.
"Er, my name is Nesterov Gregoriy, Imperial name Nicobulus and it is good to meet you Dragonborn, er Mr. Kessel, my apologies." Said the Estatesmen, his tone and attitude had made a radical change as soon as he heard Ruigus's name to which Ruigus obviously could tell.
"You surprised a great number of us my good brother." He said.
"Thank you Mr. Gregoriy, I am thankful to have been blessed in this manner by the gods. I will say to you it has both been a curse and something wondrous beyond imagination." Stated Ruigus as he sat comfortably opposite of Nesterov.
"I must imagine so! You hold something great the rest of those in the Estates and the Lords of the Kingdom will say is their one blessing since Lord Berlin and Lord Drach. And do not deny that you are one to us, son of Kessel." Said Nesterov.
"I-I am honored." Said Ruigus, his head bowed.
"Now when did you get into Skyrim in the first place?" Asked Nesterov.
"The Last Seed, can't remember the exact day but I have been here since then. I only discovered that I was a couple weeks after I arrived, how unfortunate and stupid of me to have not realized that there was a war that had just started." Said Ruigus as he recalled it.
"Ah yes, the war did start at the end of the last month, I do not think many believed it would blow out like this." Said Nesterov as he laughed grimly.
"Rebels, Undead, and Dragons. What hell I bring myself into even for a day. Though I must say the latter would be an interesting thing to meet." He remarked.
"They're both interesting and terrifying Mr. Gregoriy." Ruigus replied.
"You seem to say as those you've talked to them." Nesterov assumed.
"A few times, I can't say I do not find some of them pleasant and peaceful and some evil." Said Ruigus.
"Tch, the Nords would attempt the cut your head off with an axe for that those fools. What's interesting to me is that this is the return of the physical form of our god Alduin, as much as we hold that one in equal fear and respect as men and women of Colovia." Nesterov stated.
Ruigus was silent for a few moments as a realization hit him with the man's words.
"I….I had forgotten." Said Ruigus.
"What?" Questioned Nesterov.
"I had followed the teachings of the our brothers in the east for some time, I had forgotten tha-"
"Imperialization got to you didnt it? I'd rather say it is Heartland-Nibeenization but that is an issue we share with our foolish Nord friends. Listen dear sole son of the Kessels, do not forget who you are as one of the Father and Motherland." He said.
Ruigus was silent, He had learned the ways of all three of the Imperial cultures but had thought only of representing them all in one single indivisible and respectable way.
"Of course I cannot." Ruigus stated.
"Words are one thing, actions are another more meaningful thing, now I continue with my question: how did you end up in the Imperial Army so quickly?" The man asked incredulously.
"Lord Drach is the Governor-General of Skyrim, you understand how it goes from there my lord." Said Ruigus.
"Ahhh, what a thing that is. I am quite surprised that major fact has missed over my head but I suppose that is in some part to Lord Drach's nature as that little fox that hides amongst the snow now. I wondered why I had not seen him in a long time, I nearly thought he had retired already after all that he has done." Nesterov laughed.
"Or amongst the dead, I am actually quite surprised he has not won yet with you especially." He remarked.
"Lord Drach has few experienced soldiers, he has been receiving some trained units and a couple legions but we are mostly comprised of nords sir Gregoriy. It's not pretty with a rebellion." Said Ruigus, explaining the case as best he knew.
"Hmph, it's like the Great Warlord's unification of Colovia all over again. Brother vs Brother and too many untrained fools and plots about, Tullius better use whatever happens in the Council emergency meeting to his advantage, it'd be nice to hear if he still has that magic to him." The Estate noble said in a hopeful manner.
"Emergency council meeting?" Ruigus asked.
"I suppose Vampires warrant that, if it's this bad as everyone seems to think it is the Council and the Emperor better decide something before a city falls just like the last time they had one." Mister Gregoriy sighed.
"Oh well, it cannot be helped and I feel that I am wasting your time now ask away your questions." Said Nesterov as he peeked outside.
"Any news on Kvatch?"
"None major like the rest of our land I shall say to you Ruigus, they did start a celebration when they heard you were Dragonborn." He informed.
"I didn't expect them to do that for me." Ruigus said, his chest swelled with a warm feeling.
"It is expected of every civilization, city, estate, and so forth to honor it's heroes past and present." Replied Nesterov with a matter of fact tone.
"...Of course." Agreed Ruigus.
"I er, didnt have any other questions." Ruigus said afterwards.
"If that is the case. We best separate my good man." Said Nesterov.
Ruigus rose up and went for the side door.
"Goodbye, and if you need anything from my family at anytime do not hesitate to stop by!" Nesterov stated.
"Thank you, Lord Gregoriy." Said Ruigus as he left.
"May the gods bless you." The Estate noble said lastly.
A desire for home began to overtake the young soldier more profoundly than before.
"I was just starting to think you sped home without me." Said a smug Alduin.
"I was freezing trying to walk my way through and I thought my Shouts would bring bad fate." Ruigus replied.
"That may await you once we enter your land." She said with a forcibly evil grin.
"I cannot wait to have an Alessian drive a sword through my heart." Ruigus replied with an inside joke to her obvious crude flirtation.
"Alessians? Oh, you mean that group." Alduin had only recalled a slight mention of the name of the worshippers of that one woman who had freed the Cyrodilic humans from the Ayleids, two things that she herself was most interested in.
"Oh right I forgot that you didn't know about them, er just the thought of that popped into my mind after talking with the Estate Noble." Said Ruigus.
"Hm, how did the talk go?" She asked softly as the two strolled around the half-dead town and taking in the scenery, they stood in front of the square where Ruigus had seen his first dead person at, he stared at it blankly as he replied.
"It was nostalgic I guess, this may seem a bit unbelievable but...I forgot many of the ways of my home, I have a responsibility that I cannot ignore." He said as he continued to stare at where the chopping block had used to be.
"What is that?" Alduin asked softly.
"I want to visit my mother and some others when we get there, do you want to?" The question and reasoning was so full of innocence.
"Where else could we go when we're done with that business?" She asked slyly.
"Heh, the Imperial City is a massive place." Ruigus remarked.
"Did you not say there were better ones before?" She asked gently. Full knowing well of what he had thought of the city versus his homeland.
"...Yes, I did say it to you before didn't I?" Ruigus nearly facepalmed as he grinned at his own silliness.
"Your mind can be much sharper but more distorted than mine can be, I suppose that is another reason I must keep you in check." Alduin stated with a grin of her own, tearing Ruigus's attention away from the miserable place that they both stood in.
"Oh come on, I'm not too sure about being sharper." He said.
"Potentially then, you will not deny that." Alduin's words were of an eerie similarity to him exactly of what Mr. Gregoriy had said.
"Fine." He surrendered.
The pair continued to walk through the town taking in the old sights until they found a unique group of Brumans sitting around a makeshift fire, one in particular held a lyre. One of the Estate guards was with them resting.
The man with the lyre kept striking some of the strings of his lyre.
"Hello friends!" One of them greeted, a bruman woman.
"Greetings." Alduin greeted as the two faced them.
"How goes it?" The Bruman woman asked.
"We're trying to remember this place." Said Ruigus, the Bruman nodded in understanding.
"Ah dragon attack yes? Terrible day." The Bruman said with genuine sadness.
"Come sit!" She said.
Ruigus gave a quick pleading look to Alduin who smiled and moved to sit.
"It was a terrible one, I say I get a bad nightmare from it every once in a while still." Ruigus said truthfully.
Alduin looked down at Ruigus with some sadness.
"But it is something one must move on from." He said softly. The woman and the man with the lyre nodded.
"We still remember from the years ago when we were children of the war, when elves were close to our city." The woman said as she looked distant for a moment.
"Children, back then we saw many warriors die and our homes hit by endless magic and weapons, we did not know of an end." She said in fluent Tamrielic.
"Bei den Göttern" She said once more, in a language that only Alduin did not understand.
(By the Gods.)
"Oh Ald- er Alavia she just spoke in Colovian, she said 'By the gods'." Ruigus quickly and quietly informed Alduin, the woman gave an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry to you good nord." She said with a soft sigh.
"…..Do not worry." Said Alduin, inwardly confused at the language she had spoken.
"But now in these days all we can do is remember and know that more will come soon." The Bruman woman said sadly.
"I do not mean to sadden you two, I shall remember those days and the ones that will be next as long as my old bones carry me until I too join up in the lands above." She said with a small smile.
"We all must live and die that is life, and that is how beautiful it is." She said.
Night had fallen among them, the only light was from the moons Masser and Secunda and numerous torches and lanterns.
"One must not forget life." She said simply.
They could hear the howling of the wolves off in the far distance.
With that the man with the lyre began to play a song.
It was a soft, sad tune that Ruigus had heard so often at home, he could not remember the name but it was usually associated with the dead of the great war on the Colovian lands, it was also a peaceful song to bring one with ease as the song played on.
Ruigus felt a desire to sleep hit him as it played onward as he thought to himself so quietly as he stared into the flames of the pit, the others around it had done the same in a solemn manner as the lyre player focused his eyes into it whilst holding a mournful expression.
He leaned into Alduin's right side as he fell more and more asleep. Her right hand came up to softly go into his hair and move about gently.
He began to forget all that troubled and plagued him just for this night, all the tragedy and warfare he had seen since he had arrived in this town in what was not so long ago, whether it had been seven, six, or five months did not matter to him, he achieved a peace of mind as he slept on Alduin's shoulder, someone who he had feared that one fateful day, it was something he still held in the innermost parts of his body even as he fell more and more affectionate towards her.
His was no longer a fear of Alduin herself but rather on how he was moving onward with her and how it in the end would affect her personality, it was clear to him that she had issues before with things such as genuine love from those around her and other problems he could only slowly detect or assume on. He thought that so far Alduin had the genuine support and respect of her four most trusted kin but never had any of that from any other creature than perhaps the Dragon Priest, Vahlok. One thought on the matter did worry him deeply, had her parents showed that familial love to her as they should have to a daughter? Akatosh and Mara, had they loved her?
He still believed regardless of that what he would never change on wanting was to show her a world that she could find wonderful, she had said before she had found this one interesting and that she was all too curious about it all in her enigmatic ways but he thought about what else tethered her to it other than his own self.
He was aware that is own idea was perhaps childish, but it was what he thought was the best he could manage as perhaps the last dragonborn.
However there was still what he wanted for himself that he had yet to figure out, the answer to that lay in three individuals, the one who returned through time to try again, the one who stood battered but fiery in a small and chaotic hall far from home, and one that slept and dreamed within their own self.
The song that played no longer could register in Ruigus's ears, the next morning he would arise and with Alduin go down into Cyrodil.
Another uneventful day occurred when the small Imperial army left Helgen for the Pale Pass border gate, the last stop before officially crossing into Cyrodil. The two groups gave goodbye to the other, the Brumans and Estatesmen had been respectful towards the army.
They were more wary as they passed through the very narrow pathways constricted by hills and mountains as rather still snowed out roads were to be crossed through with all sorts of tracks over them. Nevertheless, they went on unhindered by the elements or any enemy.
The wind and conditions grew so cold that it became more of a slow trudge through it all.
A careful march still led them to the long and wide gates that marked the way out the lands of Skyrim entirely.
Great Imperial banners laid on the walls, two great flags flew from the top of the walls on watchtowers.
Ruigus had remembered how it had looked when he had made his journey through here so long ago, it had changed drastically since.
It was the type of transformation that went from humble to that of one that was meant to scare one off.
A good number of men manned the walls but with obvious and clear reasoning took no threat from their marching comrades from the north.
As they got up to the gates a man up top waved at them and the gates were pulled opened.
"Welcome!" Was yelled as the column got into motion again after pausing momentarily.
A commander appeared and came up to meet them on horse, some legionary guards were with him.
"You look like the Dragonborn's group yes? Er the detachment from Rikke with Tribune Alavia as the leader correct?" He asked politely.
Alduin regarded the man. She noted that all of these border guards wore far more elegant and superior appearing armor of quality. They even wore fancy little red plumes on the shape of a metal crescent pointing downwards.
"That is correct, our identification papers are in order if you so need them." She said.
"No need, my inspection is all that is needed. And I do say welcome, you've survived that mess." The Border commander said.
"And we shall go back to it in due time. Pray that it does not come to this fortress one way or another." Alduin replied.
The man nodded warily.
"At any rate….Where's the dragonborn?" He asked curiously.
Ruigus merely stared at the man as his mind worked around formulating a response that was polite enough.
"Why, he is right in front of you." She said, she took a noticeable offense.
"Oh, sorry about that Sir…Kessel was it?" He questioned.
"Yes, that's right." Ruigus shot up.
The man sized up Ruigus.
"Hmph, you seem like a good soldier and warrior. I hope that you help keep all the Empire safe." He said simply.
"….Thank you, I wish to do my best." Ruigus replied.
"Well then! I shall not keep you waiting to get out of this cold hell. Go onwards unless you have need of me good brothers and sisters." He said with a salute, and began to walk off.
"Well, how quick that was." Said Cario humorously.
"I suppose he understands how urgent an Imperial summoning is." Said Alduin.
"Aye I suppose." Replied Cario.
"Hilvette and Kober, give the order to move." Ordered Alduin. The two bowed and moved.
It was not long before they went into motion again. As they moved many of the garrison came out to welcome them through. They gave all sorts of cheery words and good welcomes.
They found themselves at a second gate which they were allowed through, it had seemed that despite being in a narrow path Pale Pass itself was a militaristic fortress, at least that's how it would have been for the duration of this war.
It was not long before they reached the very border that edged onto Cyrodil, a sign that laid by the gate even pointed this out.
The men saluted as they opened the gate.
"Welcome to Cyrodil my lords! Hail Emperor Mede!" One of the border guards shouted happily. The men's excitement was palpable.
Ruigus was the first to cross over, the landscape itself had widened as the mountain range was now but behind them, the air grew the slightest hint of warmer than what was before. As it would go they would move southwards and go past the city of Bruma, capital of it's respective kingdom and territories.
In a somewhat disappointing manner, they had to go pass Bruma to leave the snowy weather.
"We'll be out of it once we enter the heartlands Alavia, and then we wont be too far from the Imperial City!" Exclaimed Ruigus to Alduin.
"More snow before the green grass." She said wistfully.
"Yeah, it's gonna take a while for it to warm up over here at least, but I hope we can get out of this region by nighttime, I want to stop freezing." Said Ruigus.
"And here I thought you were excited to come back to your homeland." Alduin sarcastically remarked with a grin.
"Bruma is close but it is not particularly home, even if we went west I'd be closer to it but the Imperial City is close enough as is. I like the city, but I do want to go back to my homeland badly." He replied.
"Hmm….How long it is do you think we will get to the Imperial City?" She asked.
"Two days, might be another day just from walking around inside of it though." Ruigus said with a laugh.
"Two days? That gives me an idea if you so will, or not, it doesn't matter." Alduin said with a haughty grin.
"W-What would it be?" Ruigus said, amused and flustered.
"Let's go ahead of the army, we have those that can handle such things while we are away." She said.
"It sounds good to me! Though I do wish we would stop leaving Cario and the others on short notice." He replied happily.
"I'm certain they can handle it." Alduin replied, smiling.
"Right, I know they can, it isn't much but I'd rather not be too reliant." He said. Then he shot upwards.
"Should we tell them now?" He asked.
"It is an obvious course of action." She said with a humorous tone.
With her motion the two strolled with their horses to their four captains who, with the exception of one, looked at them with curiosity.
"I and Ruigus are going to separate from you and make it to the capital with due haste, are you able to make it there in good time?" She questioned.
"Of course. We're home free now we'll pass our way there and be there in at most, five days time at this rate." Hilvette spoke up first. To which the other three gave visible approval.
"Perfect. We'll leave now if there is nothing left to be spoken." Said Alduin.
"I do need to speak in private with you both." Said Cario.
"Certainly." Said Alduin as they moved to a more private spot.
"When we reach the Imperial City and are registered in I will be leaving your army." He stated calmly.
"Why?" Ruigus chirped.
"I apologize I should have told you about this before but it seems my request to inherit the Deathshead legion, it's ironic considering now but I paid a good amount of money and got enough experience to earn it. It helps that I served under you two despite your low rank, but growing fame." He stated happily. He spoke with a carefree and respectable manner.
"I see, that is good to hear." Said Alduin, contemplating it.
"From a captain to a general, it's a big jump for you Cario!" Said Ruigus to which Cario agreed.
"It'll be a position only in name, I will have the authority of a Tribune or Legate considering the amount of men I'm supposed to have and well…..I'm new blood, not that it matters, considering the state of the Empire's military!" Cario exclaimed with due passion and a clenched fist.
"Will you be deployed elsewhere Cario?" Ruigus then asked.
"I expect to be sent back, I think my chances are helped with….whatever you can call that happening. But I shall fight alongside you once more, there is no doubt within me about that!" Stated Cario.
"If not then I'll start my own little rebellion." He cackled, but his expression was true.
"A drastic action, I'd best take when we're gone." Alduin replied.
"I'd do it anyways just for a chance to get at those good for nothing pen pushing skeevers, whether or not the Emperor is included in that is of no concern to me, I want my chance and I'll have it now." He declared.
He then smiled.
"Still, if things go the way they should I'll live long enough to owe you both for bringing me this far. I like your style of things." Stated the Breton man.
"It is appreciated, good Breton." Alduin replied simply and saluted.
Cario saluted back.
"I have nothing left to say. Good luck to you both, I pray I may keep in contact soon." He said. Before trotting back to the formation.
It would not be the last they would see of Cario Idwal the temperamental breton, not nearly for an eternity.
"Well, I guess we just ride our way down now. I think I remember a few places we can stop that would be fine for us, civilized and uncivilized." Remarked Ruigus.
"Hmm. You know quite the way around here don't you?" She asked.
"Of course! I traveled around here nearly endlessly when I was a child, I know which way will be best for us, I….want you to enjoy it here." He said.
"Why, once we are out of the snow I will already begin to enjoy it, I know that you will make it better one way or another." She said with a soft smile.
Ruigus nodded.
"I'll do my best." He replied simply.
"Oh Alduin, this path we'll take wont lead us anywhere near the city of Bruma if you wanted to see it….I do think we'll skirt close to about three other cities but nothing like an old home city like that." Said Ruigus.
"Home city?" She asked.
"It's an honorific for all the capital cities in Cyrodil, I think just about everyone uses the same title for theirs." He replied.
"Ah I understand, the same goes for Kvatch?" She asked.
"It is a yes and no, it's been razed utterly so many times and resettled that it shares the name of the kingdom of Kvatch as well as many of it's monuments it's been utterly changed from the ground up each time." He stated.
"I see." She said as she pondered over that.
Kvatch was a most cursed postion, despite it's comfortable spot among the hills.
Alduin herself assumed it's bad luck.
"It's a long tradition of it now, fight a long and hard war and see Kvatch die and come back, the Elves during the last war didn't harm it though. There is only one of them I know who I can thank." Said Ruigus.
"Who would that be?" She asked.
"He's known to be the incarnation of Trinimac….his name I can't remember but we built a statue for him after the war, he was a different man in comparison to all others even among us as Tullius once told me." Said Ruigus.
"We'll go by it once we finish the meeting with the Emperor." He then added.
"Of course, you've piqued more of my interest, just one thing on that topic, how much land did your people lose in the war?" Alduin asked, with genuine curiosity.
"We were pushed back to Bruma….almost out of it even holding on by the tiniest of threads, the tales of those times still terrify me even now. The war with the Stormcloaks is somehow more tame than what was seen then." Ruigus shuddered as he recalled what was to him when he had heard them as what was horror stories, he was told that they were over-exaggerated by others but after seeing the crazy sights he had the moment he stepped into Skyrim.
"You know we're not far from the last defense line that was setup during the war already." Ruigus stated.
"A defense line?" Alduin nearly exclaimed as she could make an assumption but had never heard of anything like it.
"Yeah it's a weird concept to me, and Tullius made it too I believe, and I've seen multiple of these near my home and here. It's these series of heavy fortifications that were made as last ditch efforts to stop the Dominion armies. And it seemed they work well." He said.
"It does sound like an impressive feat to me. I'm more interested in seeing what makes it what it is." Said Alduin, growing more curious.
"We can take a detour, or ten." Laughed Ruigus.
"That would be good, dear Ruigus." Was her response paired with a humored look.
"But I do agree that we should be quick as we can." She added.
"Just as long as you would want this one to be." Said Ruigus. As he gave a light kick to his horse to speed onwards.
To Alduin's surprise they cam across the line that Ruigus had talked about in mere minutes.
When they walked to check it out she was surprised how much the ground was altered to suit the needs of the defenders.
There were these…..long holes as she could try her best to describe that were created among wood and dirt barricading.
Ruigus jumped into one, his head came up to her legs now.
"Come in, it's quite neat!" He said as she slowly joined him.
The dugout that they stood in could fit two more people in it if they faced horizontally, it was tight but wide enough for them to move without much trouble.
"What did they use this for?" Alduin asked.
"I think they used it to shoot crossbows, they could stand and reload it safely in these." Said Ruigus as he crouched down carefully as to not get dirt on him.
Eh, there isn't too much dirt for something that's been around for twenty years." Ruigus remarked.
He then stood up to climb out.
"There's an even longer one right around somewhere." He said, trying his best to look around to spot it.
The two stepped and bounded over some large boulders.
"Ah, can't miss it now!" Said Ruigus as he pointed as a massive dug-in line, it was what they saw earlier but ten times it's overall size.
It was so long it seemed as though you could line up some three-hundred in it, the trench was only cutoff by another road that led through.
"Amazing." Said Alduin wordlessly.
There was a post that stood on the road, it was unlike any that gave directions.
The pair walked up to it.
The post read:
In memory of those who gave their lives in battle Line Berliner is to be preserved and in the upkeepof the city of Bruma
As so it read.
"How so interesting." Alduin said.
"I imagine that they would want to use this again in case of any other conflict." She mentioned.
"Yeah, it would be bad of them not to use what's been left in these days." Said Ruigus as he searched around some more.
"It's almost night, I guess we can move the horses closer and camp in that first dugout I guess unless you want to move somewhere else?" Ruigus asked.
Alduin giggled.
"There would be worse places to rest." She replied kindly.
"For all I know someone or some people could have died in it, not that im that superstitious. But…." Ruigus didnt quite know how to continue.
Alduin merely placed her hand on his head and giggled.
"I am beyond those worries, but it heartens me nonetheless as always." She replied.
"Yeah yeah." He said, bashful.
Not long after they went into that foxhole once more.
Their sleeping conditions were not horrible, the worst issue they had was the small amounts of dirt that were in existence due to the slowly melting snow as the weather would grow warmer as each day would move on.
The other issue, was that it was cold. To that Alduin merely wrapped herself around him. Although it was a bit difficult to do so in armor, which they both decided was best left on.
Their first night in Cyrodil passed.
The two were awoken up next morning by the sound of thunder.
"Ah definitely in home alright." Mused Ruigus as he rubbed his eyes.
"Did by some chance we magically transport ourselves to the southwest?" Alduin teased.
"I wish." Laughed Ruigus.
"We'll be there as quick as we can Ruigus. However for now we must climb out and begin to trot the way." Said Alduin.
"You still want to admire the sights along the way?" Ruigus asked.
"Haha I know it would be in bad form for us both." Alduin laughed to Ruigus's question.
"We're not going to be racing our way there. Are we?" Asked Ruigus, giving way to Alduin's mischievous idea.
Alduin giggled.
"Only against that army you can consider it to be, although…...Hmm I will keep that idea in mind." She said.
She released her hug around Ruigus and climbed out she held her hand out for Ruigus, which he took to a slight aid as he climbed out.
"I suppose we'll have to stop a village or a town on the way, we won't be able to avoid at least one although I wasnt planning to avoid all civilization anyways. It's name is Weye and it will be just on the outside of it, then we'll cross the great bridge over and enter. Weye is a good town, it's rather humble despite it's position." Said Ruigus, ending excitedly.
"And I thought Cyrodil housed a large population, if we're going to the Imperial city and there's only a settlement…just on the way from up north?" She questioned.
Ruigus shrugged.
"It's been like that through the entire time of this land, many battles were fought for the Imperial City, many both cyrodilic and outlander were rarely kind to those on their way to it, I think a place like Weye is lucky, I remember Tullius once saying about how it was a place that stayed alive because it's the one place everyone needs to use." He explained.
"That is…..sad." She said with a thoughtful expression.
"I cannot judge." Replied Ruigus, his expression did depress, he looked over at the trenches.
"I am gonna have to keep this in mind." Said Alduin as she looked over it along with him.
"Yeah, won't be the last we see of it too." Said Ruigus.
"That is a certainty no matter what happens with this path you and I take." She said.
Ruigus was silent.
"Let's go Alduin." He said.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"Of course, I'm just thinking." He replied with a small grin.
Then he mounted up on his horse with Alduin following in action.
"Let's get out of the cold Ruigus." Said Alduin, giving a light slap on his back as she rode to the front.
"Hey I know the way!" He exclaimed.
Ruigus quickly spurred onwards to catch Alduin who was laughing, he too began to laugh along with her as the two rode side by side.
Only a few hours had passed before the pair exited out of the Bruman lands which had progressively grown more temperate.
Alduin began to notice how bright and colorful it was in these lands, the sun shined more strongly here due to overall more clearer skies. However much if not everything was all much more pleasant if not beautiful to look at, unique plants much unlike the ones in the far more colder lands of Skyrim.
The two had dismounted a couple times just for Alduin to inspect them. Ruigus laughed when she had sniffed some naturally growing Dragon's Tongues and sneezed at them.
Alduin began to laugh when Ruigus told her the name of the plant.
Additionally they skirted alongside some farmlands as they rode, they were larged and housed crops that went on and on for a good mile it seemed to her, she was unfamiliar with how the agriculture of Cyrodil was handled but it fit how she imagined it to be.
The two had numerous encounters with locals as they traveled, recognized only by some who expressed great gratitude towards them, recognized as soldiers that was. Ruigus furiously blushed his way through it, another thing Alduin found endearing on their ride.
The two found another stop as another night hit, Ruigus was sure that they would make it the next day.
It was in a small clearing of mere grass with only a few spots they could tie their two horses to.
Ruigus laid down on it and sighed.
"Perhaps I should have kept camping equipment, oh well." He laughed.
"Hmm hmm!" Sounded Alduin, giggling.
"You're mean." Audibly pouted Ruigus.
"But I guess I am too." He said as he stared at the stars above.
He wore a troubled expression after he had spoken. Something bit at the back of his head.
He stared at a crawling ladybug whilst holding a mournful expression.
"How many have died by my hands to return home?" The thought nagged him as he grew closer and closer to his home in Kvatch.
A most troubling thought, and there was seemingly so few ways to come to terms with it.
Ruigus felt Alduin's arms wrap around him and pull him closer at a slight.
It was peaceful even just to lay out on the grass close to a road with a farmfield and untouched land. A cool breeze blew over the pair.
Ruigus felt himself fall to sleep slowly as he eased.
Tomorrow he and Alduin would make it through the gates and enter the Imperial City for their meeting with a man that had held admiration, disappointment and much of his curiosity for so long.
He dreamed, seeing the large gates of the glorious city opened.
End of Chapter 17
Stay safe with the virus out and about, I'm kinda taking it risky so far myself, sorta.
And thank you for reading.
